1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle wheel cover and more particularly to a vehicle wheel cover which may present decorative or informative indicia thereon.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of vehicle tire covers is well known in the prior art. One well known accessory is a flexible tire cover for a spare tire which is carried externally on the rear of a vehicle in an exposed manner. These covers are provided to protect such spare wheels from the elements. To add aesthetic value to such covers, readily visible personalized messages or artwork are sometimes applied thereto. However, none of the known vehicle tire covers provide for a tire cover which displays a photograph or other artwork in a substantially waterproof, yet easily accessible enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,376 discloses a decorative wheel cover that is attached to a wheel rim. The cover has a magnifying lens that is placed over a disk bearing decorative indicia or artwork. However, this cover is not waterproof. Also, this cover attaches only to the wheel rim and does not cover the entire spare tire.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,683 discloses an illuminated wheel cover which is mounted on an exposed spare vehicle wheel. This cover has an indicia bearing disk that is attached to a flexible cover which is placed over the entire spare tire. However, this cover does not provide any protection against the elements for the indicia bearing disk.
Further less relevant examples of indicia bearing wheel covers include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,632,268; 2,072,490; 1,943,237; and 1,879,761.
Therefore, the present invention attempts to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art by providing a vehicle tire cover for attachment to a spare vehicle tire which may be utilized for displaying photographs or other artwork in a substantially waterproof, yet easily accessible environment.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.